Founded in 1974, RAMS, Inc. is a private, non-profit mental health agency that is committed to advocating for and providing community based, culturally-competent, and consumer-guided comprehensive services, with an emphasis on serving Asian & Pacific Islander Americans. RAMS is committed to reflecting the multicultural & multilingual diversity of our community.

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Monday, May 30, 2011

Please join RAMS and other community organizations for the last Asian Pacific American Heritage Month event of 2011! This inter-generational multi-ethnic event shall feature live performances, happy hour specials all night, announcements, and delicious ethnic food. All are welcome so please help us spread the love by inviting your friends to attend too!

Friday, May 27, 2011

SAN FRANCISCO (May 27, 2011) – Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi and over 40 community-based leaders from the Asian and Pacific Islanders (API) Budget Coalitions (which includes RAMS) met to discuss federal budget priorities for API low-income families, youth and seniors. Representatives from the Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Laotian and Samoan American communities from across San Francisco attended. Leader Pelosi declared her strong support for the three federal budget priorities articulated by the group: the Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG), Social Security Supplemental Income program (SSI), and Medicare.

Following a presentation by Patsy Tito, Executive Director of the Samoan Community Development Center, on the importance of CDBG funding to API communities, Rep. Pelosi acknowledged that the CDBG program must be protected because it forms the underyling foundation for critical local programs. This is particularly true in San Francisco. CDBG funds nearly every API serving non-profit in the city of San Francisco. These services range from affordable housing to senior, youth, and family support programs.

Leader Pelosi also supported the priority to defend SSI from Republican attempts to raid and deplete the program. Anni Chung, Executive Director of Self-Help for the Elderly, presented on behalf of the community groups, and pointed out that for many API seniors, over 90% of their income comes from SSI.

Leader Pelosi finally urged API community leaders to oppose the current Republican attempt to privatize portions of Medicare after Kent Woo, Executive Director of the NICOS Chinese Health Coalition, presented.

About the Asian and Pacific Islanders (API) Budget CoalitionsThe Asian and Pacific Islanders (API) Budget Coalitions is a San Francisco based “coalition of coalitions” formed to coordinate and advocate on government budget policy issues on behalf of vulnerable Asian and Pacific Islander communities. We consist of seven different citywide and neighborhood based Asian and Pacific Islander coalitions focusing on a broad range of issues impacting API’s. Our coalitions and their individual members provide social services and programming on a citywide basis to nearly every vulnerable API community in the City. Collectively, our coalitions include nearly 80 non-overlapping, individual organizations, institutions, and/or agencies.

Monday, May 23, 2011

RAMS Peer Specialist Mental Health Certificate Program was invited to present at the Mayor's Disability Council meeting which took place on Friday May 20. The topics discussed at the meeting were on Mental Health Issues, Peer Leadership, and Peer Support. Christine Tam, Program Coordinator, gave an overview of the program's history and how it was created, student demographics, the current status of the program, and the successes experienced by the students in the program during their class experience and after graduation.

Monday, May 16, 2011

There was a whirlwind of activity at RAMS last week in celebration of Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day on May 10, as well as the national Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month which both occur in May. A brief recap:

Monday, May 9: The College of San Mateo presented an Asian Pacific American Mental Health Awareness Panel, featuring a panel presentation from RAMS staff about the importance of mental health and culturally-competent services in the A/PI community, working in the mental health profession, as well as challenges and issues specific to the A/PI communities.

Presenting at the College of San Mateo: (L to R) Kavoos Bassiri, Dr. Stephanie Chen, Dr. Shyamsunda​r Kotagal, Can Nguyen

Tuesday, May 10: On Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day, RAMS presented an all day training event titled "Asian Pacific American Mental Health: Knowing Our Roots and Growing Beyond". This widely anticipated event was filled to capacity with over 200 registrants, and was a great success. To kick-off the event, Mayor Edwin M. Lee addressed the audience on the importance of mental health and the Asian Pacific American community. Supervisor Eric Mar, who along with Senator Leland Yee was instrumental in establishing Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day, also addressed the audience in the early afternoon.
This all-day training featured an exciting panel of presenters that are recognized leaders, trailblazers, and legends in the field of mental health and working with Asian Pacific Americans:
• Alvin N. Alvarez, PhD, Professor, Dept. of Counseling, SF State University; Past President, Asian American Psychological Association
• Jean Lau Chin, PhD, ABPP, Professor, Adelphi University
• DJ Ida, PhD, Executive Director, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association
• Stanley Sue, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Director, Center on Excellence in Diversity, Palo Alto University
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As an added bonus for this auspicious day, ﻿the San Francisco Giants flashed the message "Happy Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day - May 10" on the AT&T Park scoreboard during the 3rd inning of the SF Giants vs. Arizona Diamondbacks game. It was a winning game for the Giants as well!

Thursday, May 12: Staff from the RAMS Wellness Centers Program were speakers at the 2011 California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists Annual Conference. The title of the presentation is “Lessons Learned: Providing Creative Tools for Working in School-Based Services to Meet the Needs of Diverse Youth”. RAMS Behavioral Health Counselors Ulash Thakore-Dunlap, MS, Shana Averbach, MS, Alissa Gunsberg, MA, Mia Gutfreund, MA, and Rebecca Peng, MS, as well as Program Director Kristin Chun, LMFT, presented on Thursday May 12, on behalf of RAMS.

Saturday, May 14: RAMS was a co-sponsor along with Senator Leland Yee, Supervisor Eric Mar, Kaiser Permanente, Self-Help For The Elderly, San Francisco Recreation & Parks, and Compassionate Community Care for the 7th Annual 2011 Richmond District Community Health Festival. The Health Festival featured FREE clinical health services as well as giveaways, food, health education offered by more than 40 community health organizations, children’s activities and family fun.

What:
SAN FRANCISCO – In honoring this year’s Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day on May 10th, Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. (RAMS) is holding an all day training event Asian Pacific American Mental Health: Knowing Our Roots and Growing Beyond.

To kick-off the event, Mayor Edwin M. Lee will be addressing 200+ guests on the importance of mental health and the Asian Pacific American community. Board of Supervisor Eric Mar is scheduled to also address the audience in the early afternoon. This all-day training features an exciting panel of presenters that are recognized leaders, trailblazers, and legends in the field of mental health and working with Asian Pacific Americans:
• Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D, California State Senator; Psychologist
• Alvin N. Alvarez, PhD, Professor, Dept. of Counseling, SF State University; Past President, Asian American Psychological Association
• Jean Lau Chin, PhD, ABPP, Professor, Adelphi University
• DJ Ida, PhD, Executive Director, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association
• Stanley Sue, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Director, Center on Excellence in Diversity, Palo Alto University

Asian American Mental Health Facts:
• Approximately 25% of Americans in a given year are impacted by mental health conditions regardless of gender, age, race, religion and socioeconomic status (National Institute of Mental Health)
• Asian American girls have the highest rates of depressive symptoms of any racial/ethnic or gender group
• Asian American women ages 15-24 have a higher rate of suicide than Caucasians, African Americans and Latinos in that age group (Center for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Health Statistics)
• Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders appear to have extremely low utilization of mental health services relative to other U.S. populations (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
• Among elderly women of all ethnic or racial groups, Asian Americans have the highest suicide rate (Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent Suicide)
• The economic cost of untreated mental illness is more than 100 billion dollars each year in the United States. Without treatment the consequences of mental illness for the individual and society are staggering: unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, and suicide. (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
• The best treatments for serious mental illnesses today are highly effective; between 70 and 90 percent of individuals have significant reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life with a combination of pharmacological and psychosocial treatments and supports (National Alliance on Mental Illness)

About Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day:

Establishment of Asian Pacific American

Mental Health Day in 2010

The establishment of Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day was an effort spearheaded by RAMS along with California State Senator Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D. and San Francisco Board of Supervisor

Eric Mar. It was first established in 2010, as declared by the State of California and the City and County of San Francisco, recognizing the importance of raising awareness about mental health in the Asian Pacific American community.

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On the floor of the State Senate

“Since May is already established nationally as the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, instituting this day in May more closely aligns both awareness efforts,” says Kavoos G. Bassiri, President and CEO of RAMS, Inc.﻿

Friday, May 6, 2011

Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. (RAMS) is reaching out to the California community to honor and recognize “Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day” on May 10th. The call for action is for community groups, organizations, coalitions, and associations; health advocates or individuals; and public officials & entities, public health departments, and other affiliates to acknowledge this day and the importance of mental health in the Asian Pacific American community by organizing an activity, making an announcement, and/or simply spreading the word to raise awareness.

Starting 2010, and each year thereafter, the State of California and City & County of San Francisco declared May 10th as Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day. This effort was spearheaded by RAMS along with State Senator Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D. and SF Board of Supervisor Eric Mar. Establishment of this day was overwhelmingly supported by many major local, statewide, and national associations and community coalitions. "Since May is already established nationally as the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, instituting this day in May more closely aligns both awareness efforts," says Kavoos G. Bassiri, President & CEO of RAMS, Inc.

Approximately 25% of Americans in a given year are impacted by mental health conditions regardless of gender, age, race, religion and socioeconomic status, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). “Given the traditionally low rates of mental health utilization within this [Asian American] community, it is our belief that the creation of day to promote greater awareness of the mental health issues facing various Asian American and Pacific Islander communities is a critical and much-needed act of advocacy,” stated Dr. Gordon Nagayama Hall, President of the Asian American Psychological Association.

In honoring Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day in 2011, RAMS is holding an all day training event “Asian Pacific American Mental Health: Knowing Our Roots and Growing Beyond” in San Francisco. The event features an exciting panel of presenters: Dr. Alvin N. Alvarez, Dr. Jean Lau Chin, Dr. DJ Ida, and Dr. Stanley Sue, and facilitated by Kavoos G. Bassiri. Joining the moderated panel discussion is also Dr. Leland Yee, Psychologist and California State Senator. The presenters are recognized leaders, trailblazers, and legends in the field of mental health and working with Asian Pacific Americans. This training is funded by Mental Health Services Act and offered to the community through a collaboration of RAMS and Harm Reduction Therapy Center - Training Institutes.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

On May 3, 2011, in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors honored one individual in each supervisorial district for “public recognition of distinction and merit for outstanding service”. We are proud to announce that Supervisor Eric Mar awarded RAMS Director of Operations Angela Tang, LCSW with a Certificate of Honor as the individual representing the Richmond District of San Francisco. Ms. Tang received commendation for her hard work and dedication with over six years of service at RAMS, and for her commitment to serving the Asian American community in the Richmond District, and the greater San Francisco area.

Please join RAMS in congratulating Angela Tang for this great honor, and in congratulating and celebrating all 11 honorees of the various San Francisco districts!

LEARN MORE ABOUT ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN MENTAL HEALTH DAY

Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc. (RAMS) honors “Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day” on May 10th which was first established in 2010, as declared by the State of California and the City & County of San Francisco, recognizing the importance of raising awareness about mental health in the Asian Pacific American community. The establishment of Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day was an effort spearheaded by RAMS and overwhelmingly supported by many major associations and community coalitions. “Since May is already established nationally as the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, instituting this day in May more closely aligns both awareness efforts,” says Kavoos G. Bassiri, President & CEO of RAMS, Inc. Click http://ramsinc.blogspot.com/2010/05/happy-asian-pacific-american-mental.html to read about the establishment of the Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day.

2015 APA Mental Health Day

Celebrating Mental Wellness on Mother's Day for the whole family at a Wellness Fair co-hosted with the Richmond District Neighborhood Center

2014 APA Mental Health Day

RAMS staff outreach to older adults at Self-Help For The Elderly

2013 APA Mental Health Day

RAMS and other providers speak at a press conference to discuss the issues of detecting and addressing mental health concerns in primary care & non-mental health care settings

2012: APA Mental Health Day Press Conference

RAMS partnered with NAAPIMHA and interTrend Communications to launch "Friends Do Make A Difference" campaign among high school students in San Francisco

2011: Knowing Our Roots and Growing Beyond

RAMS presented a one-day seminar on May 10, 2011, in honor of Asian Pacific American Mental Health Day

2010: RAMS Raffle & Summer Scooter Sweepstakes!

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What We Do

Our agency offers comprehensive services that aim to meet the behavioral health, social, vocational, and educational needs of the diverse community of the San Francisco Area, with special focus on the Asian & Pacific Islander American and Russian-speaking populations.

In addition, RAMS provides outreach and preventative services at many community locations, such as schools, childcare centers, social service agencies, and churches. We also provide clinical training and internships in all mental health disciplines. Services are available in English, Asian & Pacific Islander, Russian, and Spanish languages.